Manufacture of glass



(No Model.)

H. FRANK.

MANUFAGTURE OP GLASS.

No. 285.888. Patented Oct. 2, 1883.

&na *u 7 I L e %4 I g 1, JL 1 e' k N vj Afforny HIMAN FRANK, OF DETROIT, lllIClI-IIGAN.

MANUFACTURE OF GLASS.

SPECIFICATION frming part of Letters Patent Ne. 285358, dated Cctober 2, 1883.

(Ne model.)

To all whom ''f may cocern:

Be it known that l, HIMAN FRANK, oi' Detroit, couuty of NVayne, and State ot' Michigan, have invented a new anduseful 'Improvement in the li'ianuacture of Glass; and I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ol' the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had toiheaceompanying d rawing, which forms a part ot" this specification.

My invention consists in an improved process of manulacturing glass and the meehanism employed therein, l'ereinafter more fully described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

The drawing is a perspecti ve view ol'an ap paratus embodying ny invention.

My invention relates more particularly to the inanufacture ot' sheet-glass 'For windowpl ates and the."purposes.

I carry out my invention as l'ollows:

In the drawing, A. represenis any ordinary furnace.,

B is the grate.

(i is the iiue.

1) is the crucible, containing melied glass.

E and E' represent diaphragnis adapted to extend a suitable distance into the melted glass, and provided with mechanism whereby theynnay be raised and lowered. It will be convenient to construct these diaphragns with langes e and c', adapted to rest upon suitable beds, a and a', z'ilthoughthis is not essential.

F reprcsents a hoisting mechanism for-raising said diaphragns. As shown in the drawing, this mechanism consists of cablesf, of any suitable number, passed oi 'er'suitable pulleys,

j, Suspended in any desired manner, said cables provided with weights f to sui tabl y connterbalance the weight of the diaphragms. \Vhile this mechanism is convenient for this purpose, Iwould have it understood that I do not confine myself to this precise mechanism, but would have it clearly understood that I design to use anysuitablehoisting mechanism whereby the diaphragms maybe raised and lowered as coming within the scope of. my in- I 'ventior G- represents rings, preferably two in number, said z'ings adapted to fioat upon the nelted glass.

H is a snspendcd bar, provided with suitable hoisting ineehanism. As illustrated in the drawing, this hoisting mechanism consists of a cable, H', passed over suitable rollers, h, and wonnd about the drum HF connected with a varicdspeed machine, HT'. This machine may be of any desired construction, and I would have it understood that the bar H may be snspe'ded by any suitable hoisting nechanism, so arranged that the lower edge of the bar may be dipped into the glass between the diaphragns and be raised vertically to any desired height.

The process of manufacturing the sheet glass is as follows: The lower edge of the bar H is dipped 'into the inelted glass, and is then hoisted verti cally by suitable inechanism, care being taken to keep the bar in a horizontal position. As it is raised the fluid glass adheres thereto and, is raised in a sheet therewith, as indieated at I. To prevent the glass from running down into the crucibles, I provide snitable air-lflasts, J, adapted to throw blasts o l' air upon the sheet of glass as the bar is raised, thereby cooling the glass and preventing the sheet from beeoning too thin. As the bar continues to be raised it will ultimately be necessary to sever the sheet ifrom the glass in the crucible, thereby leaving a ridge of glass projecting somewhat above the surface of the glass in the crueible, which it will be desirable to force out of the way be- 'fore dipping the bar again into the glass for the fornation ot' another sheet. This may readily be aceoniplished by hoisting the diaphragms, forcing the ring last used aside, and bringing into proper location the nnenployed ring, by which means a smooth surface ol' glass is secured between the diaphragms, and the ridge spokenof above will be causedto disappear in the fluid mass. The operation of dip ping and hoisting the bar is then. repeated.`

hat I claim isi 1. The eonbination, with a' glass furnace and erucible, of a set of diaphragms provided with meehanism whereby they may be raised and lowered, a Suspended bar provided with mechanism wl'erebyit maybe raised and lowered, the Construction being such that the bar may be lowered into melted glass in the crucible and be raised with the glass adhering` thereto, and in connection therewith means for supplying blasts of air upon the glass as it is nished to the sheet of glass as it is being raised, substantially as described.

2. The combination; with a suitable glass furnaee and crucible, of a set of diaphragms provided with means whereby they may be described. r

3. The conibination with. a glass furnace and crucible, of suitable diaph ragns provided with niechanisn whereby they may be raised and lowered, suitable rngs adapted to be located beneath'the diaphragms, a bar provided with hoisting mechanisn, said neehanisui being driven by aVaried-speeding gear, substantially as described. p

4. The process of nanufacturin g sheetglass,

consisting of dipping the edge of a bar into i 'the fluid glass between two diaphragns, then raising said bar vertically to the desired height by suitable Ineehanism, blasts of air being furraised, substantially as described. i

5. The process of manufacturing glass, consisting of dipping a suspended bar into the fluid material between two adjustable diaphragns,' then raising said bar vertieally by suitable. mechanism, with the sheetof glass adhering thereto, said sheet of glass being prevented from becoming too thin by blasts of air, substantially as described.

G. The process of nanufaeturing sheet-glass,

consisting of the following consecutive steps;

HIMAN FRANK.

`VVtnesses:

N S. \VRIGHT, A. E. INGLIS. 

